Longtime Plaistow selectman honored

PLAISTOW — When Selectman Robert Gray considered running for an open seat on the board of selectmen in the early 1990s, the first resident he met with to talk about the job was Charles “Buzzy” Blinn.

“We spent a lot of time down in his garage talking about the town. There’s no doubt Buzzy Blinn loves the town of Plaistow,” Gray said Monday as he reflected on Blinn’s 21 years of service to the town.

After serving seven terms, Blinn chose not to run for reelection in March.

By all accounts, Blinn is an institution in the town where he grew up and became the longest serving selectman in Plaistow’s history.

“I think I accomplished a lot here as a selectman,” Blinn said at a surprise retirement party at the town hall Monday afternoon.

The 68-year-old retired autobody shop owner was recognized for his dedication to the town, its residents, and its employees.

Blinn thanked the many who have supported him over the years, especially his wife, Janice.

“She was really the one who was behind me,” he said.

Janice Blinn said she’s enjoyed being the wife of a selectman for so long and meeting so many people through her husband.

“The only thing I didn’t like was being his personal secretary,” she said with a laugh.

Whenever she’d get a call from a resident angry about an issue, Blinn’s wife would cut the caller short and say, “I’ll have Buzzy call you.’”

Town Manager Sean Fitzgerald, who has known Blinn since he began working for the town in 2008, described him as someone who has “inspired generations of folks to stand up and protect their town.”

“This is a guy who made it a point to connect with people,” Fitzgerald said.

Long-time friend Louis Brown of Plaistow has known Blinn since they were young kids.

“He’s top of the line. One of the best guys you could ever meet,” he said.

While he may be off the board of selectmen, Blinn has no plans to get out of town politics completely. He’s still a member of the conservation commission and plans to stay active in town.